1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to polymeric compositions comprising bromine-containing flame retardants, and to their use, especially for insulating electrical components, particularly wire and cable.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
It is well-known to provide electrical wire and cable with an electrically insulating covering by coating the wire or cable with a polymeric composition which contains a chlorinated flame retardant, and an unsaturated compound which promotes cross-linking (a "co-agent"), and then cross-linking the coating by heat. While brominated flame retardants are also known, they have not been used in compositions which are cross-linked by peroxides, because the resulting cross-linked compositions have absorbed water too rapidly (in particular they have IPCEA water absorptions of greater than 3%) and therefore have unsatisfactory electrical characteristics.